Secrets Left Untold
by Shae Elven Heart
Summary: Sam the onion man and Kate Barlow were in love. They also had a child. That child had a child who had a child who... Hmmm. Read to find out!
1. The secret

Hey! What is up my home Gs? Lol. I was reading the part in Holes about Kate and Sam, and since nobody seems to have written about that yet, I say to myself "Why don't I start something?" . . . and my cat looked at me funny.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kate. I don't own Sam. I do own peeps you don't recognize.  
  
Rating: PG13  
  
Feedback: yes, like always  
  
~*~  
  
Katherine Barlow, August 10, 1893.  
  
To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven. That, I believe, is true. Every time I look into my Sam's eyes, I believe I am seeing a little bit of heaven in those eyes of brown. We have met in secret before, but I am afraid that someone may come across us someday, for it would mean that my Sam would be hanged. It reminds me of the play that William Shakespeare wrote-I think it was called "Romeo and Juliet." But my situation seems ever more complicated. We may have to run away together-perhaps we could row to the other side of the lake and settle near Sam's onion grove. It would stink a bit, yes . . . but we would be safe from all prejudice.  
  
~*~  
  
"Katherine?" A familiar male voice said. Sam was standing at the doorway of her bedroom. She stood and hurried to greet him as he shut the door. When Sam turned away from the closed door, he was greeted with the heavenly sensation of her lips on his. Kate smiled up at him.  
  
"Three days is far too long to be away from you." She said. He smiled.  
  
"And I agree, love." He replied, kissing her again, softly.  
  
~*~  
  
Kate woke up early the next morning to the sun rising over the lake. She got up to get dressed and doubled over, suddenly feeling sick. Mary, Kate's Negro maid and nanny ever since she was little, rushed into the room.  
  
"Katherine, honey, what's wrong?" Mary said, worried. Kate caught her breath and straightened up.  
  
"I don't know, Mary . . . I just feel strange this morning." Kate replied. Mary felt Kate's cheeks and forehead. Since Kate didn't seem to have a fever, Mary called Doc Hawthorn to check it out. Mary waited nervously outside Kate's bedroom. Doc Hawthorn came out a few minutes later.  
  
"Wonderful news, Mary. Miss Katherine is to be blessed with a child." He said smiling.  
  
Word soon spread throughout Green Lake that the young schoolteacher was pregnant. Trout Walker was especially furious, as he had wanted to marry Katherine. Soon after questions popped up as to who the father was. Kate knew very well who the father was, as did Mary. It was Sam. Mary vowed to keep the secret safe as long as she lived.  
  
~*~  
  
Katherine Barlow, August 12, 1893.  
  
Children are great blessings. I cannot wait to have my blessing. I wonder if it shall be a boy or girl, and if it shall look like Sam or me. That really isn't important, because my beloved and I created it together. He or she will be our own special joy.  
  
~*~  
  
It was raining outside, and Kate sat by her window reading a book.  
  
"Onions! Sweet, fresh, onions!" Sam's voice called from out on the streets. Kate got up from her seat and ran outside to meet him.  
  
"Sam!" She said breathlessly. "I must tell you something!"  
  
"What is it, Katherine?" Sam asked, looking worried. Kate smiled.  
  
"I am to have your child, Sam." She said. Sam took a moment to get it through his head, and then he beamed. He picked her up and kissed her, right in the middle of the rain.  
  
A few months later, Katherine Barlow had her child. It was a baby girl. Little did they know that a fourth grade student Katherine used to teach named Linda Miller had heard the baby crying and looked through the open window to investigate.  
  
"Here's your baby girl, Sam." Kate said happily as Sam cradled the infant in his arms. "We shall name her Adora." That was all Linda needed to see and hear before she ran off to tell the first person she saw.  
  
~*~  
  
"Sam! Miss Kate! Trout Walker and his men are burning down the schoolhouse!" Mary yelled, running into the house. Sam sprang to his feet, and Kate picked up her baby girl.  
  
"They've found out, then!" Kate said fearfully. "What shall we do, Sam?"  
  
"I'll get the boat, and we'll sail away. To the onion grove." Sam said. Mary smiled sadly. She knew she might never see them again.  
  
"Oh, take care, Mary." Kate said, hugging the elder woman. Kate and Sam then rushed out the door and ran towards the dock. Sam said a sad goodbye to Mary Lou the donkey before they got onto the boat and rowed away from the shore. They heard Trout Walker's noisy motorboat behind them and Kate held baby Adora closer to her. Soon Trout's boat had caught up and rammed into the boat. Kate and baby Adora were saved and taken back to shore, but Sam was shot in the water and sank to his death. Kate left her baby daughter with Mary and then went to the sheriff's. After she shot him and left her mark on him, she set out to become the most feared outlaws of the West.  
  
What happened to baby Adora? After Mary died of old age, Adora was sixteen when she was forced to marry one of Trout Walker's sons and start a family. Mary had told her about her mother and father, and she had heard stories about her mother in other towns she traveled to. The story of Kissin' Kate Barlow has been passed down many generations in the Walker family. No one so far has uncovered the treasure that she buried.  
  
The treasure is not uncovered until the year when Kate Barlow's great-great granddaughter returns to Greenlake. That is where our story begins . . .  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
DUN DUN DUUUN! Tell me how ya like it! I'll be wantin' them reviews!  
  
~Shae~ 


	2. The girl

I'm back! Are ya happy? I'm . . . sorta happy. I got only like, three reviews, and I continued! It's a miracle! Applause for the Shae! Oh, and I don't think it mentions the Warden's name in the book . . . so I made on that was . . . a name. YEP! *grins*  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Kari and any other peeps you don't know.  
  
Rating: PG13  
  
Feedback: Yes, like always.  
  
Kari Walker, August 10, 2003.  
  
Every day it seems like something's missing from my life. I don't mean that I don't have a boyfriend-and I don't. Or that I don't have any friends-and I . . . don't. I can't explain exactly how I feel, but it seems like a big chunk of me is missing. I've been feeling like this ever since Grandma died . . . and that was in June. She had been the only person I could really confide in. She always told me stories about Kissin' Kate Barlow, my great- great-grandmother. I had always secretly adored my great-great-grandmother, though I didn't really know why. She was a dirty rotten thief as Father used to put it. That was before he left home and ended up getting killed in a car wreck. Now that I think about it, I think what's missing from my life is a loving, complete family. I never had a mother because she had to die after I was born. This is the only reason I'm riding in this stuffy car towards the middle of the desert to live with my aunt, whom I've never met. Hooray for me.  
  
~*~  
  
"Aren't ya getting carsick there, Miss?" The driver asked Kari.  
  
"Why? Should I be carsick?" Kari said, not taking her eyes away from her journal.  
  
"Well-no. But most people get carsick from reading in the car." He replied.  
  
"I'm fine, Mr. Reynolds." She closed her journal and turned to look out the window for the first time ever since they had entered the desert. The words "Barren wasteland" echoed through Kari's mind. There was nothing but dirt, dirt, and more dirt. She couldn't comprehend why her ancestors would've ever wanted to live here in the first place. The town had been called Green Lake, and Kari wondered why anyone would call it that since there seemed to be no lake around anywhere. She decided that her ancestors must have been real weirdoes.  
  
"We are now entering Camp Green Lake-Population: mostly juvenile delinquent boys." Mr. Reynolds said in a mock tour guide voice. He was obviously trying to humor her, but she showed no sign of being amused. He tried again. "So-a whole camp full of boys. Plan on getting a boyfriend?"  
  
"Only if he isn't a serial killer or whatever types of boys they keep in that camp." Kari said. Mr. Reynolds laughed like it was the most hilarious thing in the world. Kari had to fight to not roll her eyes at him. She looked out the window again and saw that they were now passing small clusters of holes. As they got nearer to the camp, there seemed to be more holes. A few dirt-covered boys were busy digging. Out of the corner of her eye, Kari thought she had seen a man and a donkey. She turned, and for a split second she thought she had seen the man looking straight at her, but, as strange as it was, he vanished. Kari blinked several times and looked back at the spot where she thought she had seen him. She had definitely seen a man standing there, and he had just vanished in mid air. She kept looking back at that spot, but she didn't see anything else.  
  
"We're here!" Mr. Reynolds said cheerfully, shattering Kari's thoughts. Kari looked around and saw an old looking cabin. Several boys were going inside. Some stared at the car. Mr. Reynolds pulled up in front of a cabin further away. Two oak trees served as a shade in front of the cabin, and Kari noticed that there was a hammock tied between the two trees. Mr. Reynolds got out of the car and went around to the trunk while Kari cautiously stepped out of the car. The door to the cabin opened, and a woman in her mid-thirties stepped out. She had red hair, and was rather tall. She smiled and started walking towards Kari. Mr. Reynolds came back around carrying Kari's two suitcases.  
  
"Hey there!" The red haired woman said, smiling at Kari.  
  
"Hi." Kari said quietly.  
  
"I'm your Aunt Eva. It's wonderful that you're staying here. I was getting tired of being the only girl around."  
  
"So, Ms. Walker, where do you want these?" Mr. Reynolds said, grinning. Aunt Eva looked at Mr. Reynolds, a sudden mean look on her face.  
  
"I would like 'em in the house, thank you." She replied. Mr. Reynolds obeyed and started towards the cabin looking like a wounded puppy. Aunt Eva smiled again and looked towards Kari.  
  
"Let's go inside where it's cooler." She said, leading Kari inside. Kari noticed that she had blue nail polish. Mr. Reynolds was standing by the door. "Well, are you waiting for an invitation? Leave!" Mr. Reynolds left and closed the door behind him. Kari looked at her aunt, a bit surprised that she had acted so harshly towards the man. She could tell that Aunt Eva was not a woman to cross.  
  
"So, Kari, are you missing your friends?" Aunt Eva asked, sitting down and motioning for Kari to do the same.  
  
"I . . . don't have any friends." Kari replied, turning a bit red.  
  
"Oh." Her aunt said, the smile on her face twitching. "Well . . . I guess you might want to have a look around, then . . . but be careful around the boys. They're a tricky bunch."  
  
"Um . . . what do-"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Wha-"  
  
"Excuse me. Didn't I tell you to take a look around?" Kari nodded after getting over the shock of being interrupted. "Well, you go on and do that, honey. I've got business to take care of and there ain't nothin' for you to do inside."  
  
"Yes'm." Kari said, going outside. She shut the door behind her and sighed. Great. Her ancestors had settled in the desert and called their town Green Lake, her great-great-grandmother was an outlaw, and her aunt apparently had an obsession with the phrase "Excuse me." What a normal family she had. Kari made to collapse into the hammock, and when she did, it swung sideways and she was deposited onto the ground. She got up and dusted herself off. She had seen other people lying in hammocks, but it obviously wasn't as easy as it looked. Kari settled with sitting long ways on the hammock. She wished suddenly that she had brought her favorite Selena CD with her outside. She got up, already bored with the hammock.  
  
Oh, what a lovely life it will be here.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
You know the routine. You review, I get either happy or mad depending on what you say, and I write more! *grins spongebobily* 


	3. Boys

Wow . . . I just realized how hyper I was last . . . time I reviewed to someone's story. Duuude. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter! It has Selena in it! Okay, maybe it doesn't actually have SELENA in it, but one of her songs. Umm . . . I love Zero's hair. Yep! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I own no one but Kari.  
  
Rating: PG13  
  
Feedback: YES!  
  
Kari woke up early the next morning to the sound of the morning trumpet. She sat up and trudged out of her room, yawning. Aunt Eva was sitting at the kitchen table sipping a mug of coffee and watching television. Kari joined her at the table.  
  
"Good mornin' Kari!" Her aunt said, smiling.  
  
"Morning." Kari replied. She looked at the television and saw several orange clad boys on the screen. In fact, they looked very much like some of the boys Kari had seen digging around the camp. "What show is this?"  
  
"Oh, it's not a show. That's from one of my surveillance cameras. I have 'em all over the camp. You can't run a camp like this if you don't know what's goin' on." Aunt Eva said, smiling. Kari looked at the screen and saw a sour-faced man ordering some boys around. Kari made a face herself.  
  
"Who's that funny lookin' dude?" She asked. Aunt Eva's smile widened.  
  
"Oh, that idiot? That's Mr. Sir. He just makes my job easy by taking care of the boys." She said. Eva looked back at the screen and saw six tired looking boys digging holes. The camera zoomed in on the smallest boy, who seemed to be skilled with his shovel. "Imagine that. It's his first day diggin' and you woulda thunk he'd been here his whole life!" Kari tilted her head a bit and studied the boy. He had curly brown hair and a bucket hat that seemed like it could cover his whole head if his hair wasn't so fluffy. (A/N: FLUFF! FLUFF! LOL. *CoughHINTcough*)  
  
"His name is Zero . . . or at least, that's what they call him." Aunt Eva said, seeming to read her mind. "They call him that because he seems to not have a brain at all." Kari struggled to not roll her eyes at this. She hated it when people exaggerated like that. If Zero didn't have a brain, he wouldn't be digging all those holes! He'd probably just be laying down somewhere and . . . existing.  
  
"What do you plan on doing today, Kari?" Her aunt asked. Kari tore her eyes away from the boy on the screen and fixed them upon her aunt.  
  
"I don't know-walk around, I guess." She replied. Aunt Eva laughed.  
  
"In this heat?"  
  
"It's like this back home in San Antonio."  
  
"Ah, yes. Home of the Alamo. How're the tourist sites like? I haven't been out of Green Lake in a long time." Aunt Eva said, picking up a remote and switching to another surveillance camera.  
  
"Well, so far I've only been to Tower of the Americas, the Alamo, and the Riverwalk." Kari said, staring at a rather muscular boy on the screen. Eva followed her niece's gaze and then looked back at her expression, which was etched with awe and admiration.  
  
"Kari . . . these cameras aren't meant to check out boys with." She said. Kari snapped her head up, looking somewhat horrified and very embarrassed. Eva smiled. "How old are you, Kari?"  
  
"I'm fourteen . . . " Kari replied.  
  
"Hmm . . . yeh, I guess that's the age they start getting' all boy crazy. But listen Kari-they may be cute, but they were sent here for a purpose. They have committed crimes. They're not your average boy-next-door. Got it? I want you to keep an extra eye out when you're near them." Aunt Eva said. Kari nodded. "Right. I have to make preparations for a new arrival today. You go on and have fun out there. Oh-and watch out for the snakes and yellow-spotted lizards." Kari nodded and went to her room. She changed into shorts and a tank top and grabbed her portable mp3 player. She slipped on her headphones and headed out the door.  
  
As the door closed behind her, she wondered if Aunt Eva had been serious about the snakes and yellow-spotted lizards.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
" . . . Late at night when all the world, is sleepin', I stay up and think of you. And I wish on a star, that somewhere you are thinkin' of me too . . . 'cause I'm dreamin' of you tonight -- " Kari sang. She stopped in mid- phrase when she opened her eyes and noticed that she had walked right by a group of boys who were digging. One boy with wild hair looked up when she stopped.  
  
"Aw, why'd you stop?" He asked, looking disappointed. Kari blushed.  
  
"Um . . . sorry." She said, walking away. The boy got out of his hole.  
  
"Hey, wait!" He said, catching up with her. "What's your name?"  
  
"Kari . . . Kari Walker, the Warden's niece." She said. The other boys murmured to each other. Kari then noticed that the fluffy-haired boy was among them, but he had not stopped digging. Kari noticed that he looked up at her every now and then. He dropped his shovel almost when she had said who she was.  
  
"The Warden has a niece?" A Hispanic boy said.  
  
"The Warden has a last name?" A chubby black boy said. The boy next to him popped him in the arm.  
  
"Yo, stop trippin', man." Kari took one step backward, remembering her aunt's words.  
  
"Um . . . I have to go, I think . . . " She said, turning to leave. The boy with the wild hair stopped her.  
  
"You'll at least let us introduce ourselves?" He said. She hesitated before nodding. "I'm Zigzag."  
  
"I'm Magnet." The Hispanic boy said.  
  
"Armpit." The chubby boy said.  
  
"Squid." A boy with a do-rag and baseball cap said.  
  
"X-ray." A boy with rather large glasses said. He looked at her as if he didn't like her. The short boy looked up at her for a moment before going back to his digging.  
  
"That's Zero. He never talks." Zigzag said, pointing him out. Kari looked at Zero and smiled. Zero looked up at her for a moment, smiled a bit, and then continued digging.  
  
"Well . . . it was nice meeting y'all." Kari said, walking away. When she had almost reached the shade of the oak trees, she turned around, only to whip her head back around again. Zero had been watching her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
*GASP* Ohmygosh! I was drinking orange juice and its nighttime! I'm . . . bad. Yeah. *Holds up sign that says, "I'm bad."* So . . . Do you likey likey? DO YOU LIKEY LIKEY? Review pleasepleaseplease! 


	4. La chica bonita

Yeah! FLUFF! Dudes, I'm sorry I've been procrasinerating! Yes, procrasinerating! I've been busy with all this end-of the-year homework. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: I own no one, yes? Except Kari, yes? Am I annoying you, yes? Do you want to slap me, yes?  
  
Rating: PG13  
  
After lunch Kari decided to sit outside on the hammock. She carefully balanced herself, not wanting to repeat her previous experience with the hammock. Being short made it an even harder task. She finally settled in the middle and looked out over the land. From a distance she could see the boys she had come across earlier. Kari looked for Zero, but she could not see him. She remembered that he had been chest deep in his hole and was probably finished by now. She sighed and slid off the side of the hammock.  
  
"Kari? Could you be a sweetie and take this down to Mr. Sir's office for me?" Aunt Eva said, standing inside the doorway. She was holding a manila envelope. Kari strode over to her aunt.  
  
"Sure." She said. Aunt Eva smiled and then went back inside. Kari looked at the envelope in her hand, and then to the dingy looking cabin that was Mr. Sir's office. Boy, did she have a long walk.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ten minutes later, Kari reached the camp and made her way to Mr. Sir's office.  
  
"Hey! It's Selena!" A voice said from behind her. She turned around. It was Squid. A few other boys from earlier were with him, but Zero wasn't there. She smiled uneasily at them and then stepped into Mr. Sir's office. Mr. Sir was sitting at his desk, but he wasn't the only one in the room. A man who looked like a guard stood by the door and a boy almost a year or two older than Kari was sitting in a chair in front of Mr. Sir's desk. They all looked up at her as she entered.  
  
"Oh . . . sorry. The Warden asked me to give you this." Kari said. She strode over to Mr. Sir's desk and handed him the envelope.  
  
"Thank you, Karen." Mr. Sir said, taking it. She put on a small smile and exited the office. She hated being called Karen.  
  
"Yo! You! What are you doing on these part of the woods?" Armpit said. Magnet laughed.  
  
"N-nothing much . . . just delivering stuff." She said, shuffling away.  
  
"Where are you going? Stay a while, chica!" Magnet said, walking closer to her as she tried to shuffle away.  
  
"Umm . . . no, I think I have to go." Kari said shakily. She was scared of what they would do. Aunt Eva had told her that they had committed crimes. For all she knew, Magnet could've been put in here for murder, so Kari's first instinct was to back away.  
  
"Hey, bro, I think she's scared of you!" Armpit said, laughing. Magnet smiled and draped an arm over Kari's shoulders.  
  
"Aw, there's no real reason to be scared of me, la chica bonita!" Magnet said, his Mexican accent showing. Kari looked at him uneasily.  
  
"Hey, Magnet!" X-ray said, coming up. "What're you doin'?"  
  
"I'm impressing this la chica bonita with my wonderful encantos." Magnet said. All he got was blank looks. "My charm!" Armpit snorted.  
  
"Well, she doesn't look too impressed to me. Let her go, man. You might get in deep trouble if you go messing around with the Warden's niece." X-ray said. Magnet obeyed and let Kari go. Kari backed away.  
  
"I've gotta go." She said, just as she ran into someone. She turned around but had to tilt her head up because the person she had ran into was rather tall. The boy had curly brown hair and was wearing an orange baseball cap with a cloth in the back to protect the neck from getting sunburn. He smiled down at her.  
  
"Hi." He said. Kari opened and closed her mouth several times before she could find the right thing to say.  
  
"H-hi." She said.  
  
"I thought this was a boys' camp." He said to the short man next to him who Kari recognized from the TV as Mr. Pendanski. He looked at Kari and smiled.  
  
"That's the Warden's niece! She's not a juvenile delinquent like you . . . I don't think . . . Are you a juvenile delinquent, Kari?" Mr. Pendanski said.  
  
"No, Mr. Pendanski." She said, now nervous at the thought of being near another lawbreaker. Stanley smiled.  
  
"Well, let me introduce you to your tent, Stanley. Why don't you come along, Kari? You can make friends!" Mr. Pendanski said, smiling like it was the most wonderful idea in the world. Kari felt that it would've been rude to refuse, so she went with them over to D-tent.  
  
"Ah, so your back for more of my charms, I see!" Magnet said as she entered the tent behind Mr. Pendanski and Stanley.  
  
"Now, Jose, don't scare her." Mr. Pendanski said, causing the boys to laugh. Kari looked around the tent at everyone and noticed that Zero was lying on a cot at the back of the tent, staring at the ceiling. Kari turned red. Mr. Pendanski then proceeded to introduce everyone by their real names, and in turn they told Stanley their nicknames. Zero was the last one mentioned.  
  
"Here's little Zero! He's called that because he's got nothing in his head!" Mr. Pendanski said, ruffling Zero's hair. Kari inhaled deeply to stop herself from yelling at Mr. Pendanski. These people and their exaggerations!  
  
"Yo, somethin' wrong, Kari?" Squid asked, noticing her expression. She cleared her face of any bad expression.  
  
"No. I'm fine." She said, looking up at him because she was shorter. In fact, she must've been shorter than everyone in the whole camp. She saw movement from the back of the tent and looked to see that Zero had slowly sat up when he heard her voice and was now gazing at her, his eyes seeming to widen. She blushed and then looked at the ground to try and hide her face.  
  
"Alright, Stanley, I'll leave you here now. I hope you'll have pleasant experience at Camp Green Lake!" Mr. Pendanski said, walking out of the tent. There was an awkward silence.  
  
"Umm . . . I'll be going now . . . its getting late." Kari said, waving at everyone before walking out of the tent. Zero looked slightly disappointed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
That night, Kari recorded in her journal what had been weighing on her mind for the past few hours. She had a Celine Dion CD playing in the background, and listened to the lyrics of the song.  
  
*Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight; Someone's thinking of me, and loving me tonight.*  
  
Kari sighed and fell over backwards onto her pillow. She couldn't have a crush on Zero! He broke the law! Kari grabbed a small cushion on her bed and started whacking herself on the head repeatedly until Aunt Eva came to stand at the doorway, raising an eyebrow. Kari then settled into her bed and fell asleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
R-E-V-I-E-W!!!! 


	5. New counselor

WAA! No reviews for one day, and my abdomen is inflicting pain upon my . . . tummy. Okay, this chapter involves (EBIL!) Kari having internal conflicts with herself. REVIEWERS! YUM! I WILL THANK THE REVIWERS! YUM! *Does the "I have guts!" dance*  
  
Reviewers: FreeSpirit, sixstars, Panda-Chan, GeeseFlySouthForTheWinter, Tristanlover59, x cherrykoolaid (yum I likey koolaid), Rainne (Yay I have GUTS!), Satan's Apprentice, Druid, Megan, Starwolf, incubus4lotr11 (lol I put u next to Zig, aren't you happy?), ZigZag, SQUEEbaby, Quiet One, Ri-the- ILLITERATE-one (omg, you spelled it wrong! Lol), and Emily! *PANTPANTcatchesbreathPANTPANT* THANKIES! *Does the "Yay, you like the story!" dance*  
  
Disclaimer: *makes exasperated noise* I only own Kari! NO SUE SHAE! Shae only have two cents and live in a garbage can!  
  
Rating: PG13  
  
Kari Walker, August 11, 2003.  
  
THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!!! This isn't supposed to happen! I get sent to live with an aunt that runs a camp for criminal boys, and I find myself LIKING one of them! I AM TOTALLY STUPID!! He could've been sent here for murdering someone, or . . . ugh . . . AND HE LOOKED AT ME FUNNY!! How am I supposed to know that he wasn't? . . . Ugh, never mind. And that Magnet keeps putting his hands on me! UGH!! That new guy seems nice, but . . . HE'S A CRIMINAL FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THINGS! And Zero . . . ugh, he's . . . off limits! NO! I can't like a criminal! What is WRONG with me?  
  
~*~  
  
Kari read her journal entry from the night before and wondered vaguely how many times she had used "ugh," in it. She sighed and pushed her foot off the ground to make the hammock swing a bit. Out over the lakebed she could see seven figures in the distance busy at work. One of the taller ones that Kari guessed was Stanley was practically jumping on the shovel in a frustrated manner. Kari looked around for a certain someone, but stopped herself when she realized what she was doing.  
  
"NOOO!" She yelled, whacking herself in the head with her journal.  
  
"Kari, honey . . . what are you doing?" A voice said. Kari jumped and turned around to see Aunt Eva standing four feet away.  
  
"Uh . . . a bee?" Kari said, raising her journal. Her aunt raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Ok . . . I didn't see that. Anyways, these days we're getting' short of counselors, and these boys are a tricky bunch. I was thinking that maybe you could . . . help out a little." Aunt Eva said.  
  
"Help out? You mean, like, watch over the boys?" Kari said, growing nervous at the thought. Aunt Eva nodded.  
  
"We need a little extra help. As I've seen that you've been more, er, acquainted with D-tent group, I figure that you'll be most comfortable working with them." Eva said. Kari smiled weakly.  
  
"Uh . . . great!" She said. She mentally slapped herself. "Uh . . . so what do I have to do?"  
  
"Show 'em who's boss and keep 'em at work! It's not hard at all! Remember, they're criminals and they think they're tough, but you've gotta show them who's tougher." Aunt Eva said. Kari nodded. She wondered briefly how that could happen, since she was shorter than practically everyone in the camp.  
  
"Right then, Kari. Ya might want to get a good night's rest, 'cuz you'll be up at the crack o' dawn along with them boys."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
PA-PA-PA-RUM!!  
  
HOOOOOOONK!  
  
Kari scrambled out of bed, wide-eyed. She had heard the trumpet, but thought that it was part of her dream. The horn, however, had been blasted right in her bedroom. Kari sat up, yawning and rubbing her eyes. The light came on and she hid under the covers.  
  
"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty! Your peasants await you on the soon to be scorching lakebed!" Aunt Eva said, forcing the covers from Kari's grasp. Kari groaned and sat up. "There's a sport." Aunt Eva said, walking out. Kari dressed, mumbling incoherently.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"LISTEN HERE, GIRL SCOUTS! We've got a surprise for y'all!" Mr. Sir yelled over the noise of the Mess Hall. The boys tuned in, interested in what Mr. Sir had to say. "We've got a new counselor! Ain't that nice?" Several boys made sounds of displeasure. Zero simply bit into his bagel, slightly irritated that he had fallen for what seemed to be another one of Mr. Sir's jokes.  
  
After breakfast, the boys grabbed their shovels and made their trek to their digging spot. Zero dug his shovel into the dirt, keeping only one thought in his mind: to keep digging.  
  
"Oy! La chica p-"  
  
"SHUT UP! Get back to work!" A female voice said. Zero looked up, startled. It was Kari. Magnet certainly looked startled too-his mouth was hanging open. He quickly regained his poise.  
  
"Whoa, chica! A little grouchy-"  
  
"WHAT did I just SAY?" Kari said, crossing her arms. Magnet fell silent.  
  
"You heard her, boys! And you better mind her-she's your counselor." Mr. Sir said. Zero gazed at Kari, wondering how she had gone from being a sweet, silent girl to a vociferous, bossy one in one day. Kari sensed his intent stare and turned her head his way, then looked away suddenly. Zero saw Stanley look at Kari in bewilderment, and knew that he was thinking the same thing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Angry mob:*GASP* Oh my gosh! The ending of the chapter? But we want more! MORE! *angry mob chases the author*  
  
Random thought: Dude, I was reading this REALLY old newspaper article, and it was like "Thif man waf a runaway flave who ran away laft night," and I was like "Say huh?"  
  
~Shae~ 


	6. Zero the hero! Hmm it rhymes!

BLAH! Stupid Website People! They confusing me! Ok, If you went to imbd.com, or whatever and searched under Jake M. Smith . . . That little cute dude isn't the Squid-Jakey. He's . . . Little Cutie Who Isn't Jakey Because He Was Born in 1990 and Holes is Not On His Filmography . . . WAH! I WANT REAL JAKEY! NOW! *Sigh* Shia LaBeouf - Shirt = Hotness (And a Shae who is fainted.) Dude, his name means Thank God For Beef. That's funny. Yep, I'll be laughing any minute now . . . *waits*  
  
Disclaimer: I. Own. No. One. Except. Kari. Okay? All? Clear?  
  
Summary: THE GIRL LIKE THA BOY! THA GIRL LIKE THA BOY! . . . I'm done. *Scoots back*  
  
Rating: Oh, there's cussing in this so I rate it PG13, so don't tell on me to your Mama. Your Mama with a frying pan better not chase me. Yes, I know, but it's just a teenage phase. I'll get over it and be more, er, whatever. O_o  
  
~*~  
  
Kari strolled slowly between the holes, wearing her bucket hat now that the sun was up. She noticed that Zero glanced up at her every now and then, but she tried not to meet his gaze. She looked towards the horizon and saw that the sun was starting to come up. Without warning, she stepped too close to a hole and fell.  
  
"AHHH!" She yelled, falling in. Zero saw it and scrambled out of his hole. The others did too. Kari tried to climb out, but found that she was too short.  
  
"HA! Chica, you are stuck there!" Magnet said, laughing. His friends laughed and they returned to their holes.  
  
"This ISN'T funny! Someone help me out here!" Kari yelled. Zero leaned down and offered a hand. Kari hesitated before taking it and letting him pull her up.  
  
"You okay?" He asked her. She looked at him, astonished. It was the first time she heard him speak.  
  
"Y-yeah." She said. He was still looking at her, and right then she realized that she was still holding onto his hand. She dropped it as if it were a fire. "I-I'm fine. Get back to work now." Zero looked at her defiantly, but listened to her and went back to his hole. When he had gone back to digging, Kari turned around and whacked herself in the head. X-ray raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you looking at? Get to digging!" X-ray let go of his shovel and let it fall. He got out of his hole and trudged over to Kari. She backed away as he towered over her.  
  
"I know you're not talking to me like that." X-ray said in a deadly voice. "You may be the Warden's niece and all that, but you sure as hell ain't my boss." Everyone had stopped digging while X-ray had been talking, and now a few of them from X-ray's inner circle cheered.  
  
"You tell her, X!" Squid shouted.  
  
"She got told!" Armpit said. Kari saw Caveman give her a look of kindness. Kari blushed and looked to the ground, smiling a bit. Just then a rough hand shoved her to the ground. She had forgotten for a brief moment that X- ray had still been standing in front of her.  
  
"What are you smiling for, bitch? Think I'm funny?" X-ray said. Kari scrambled backwards, away from him.  
  
"Leave me alone." She said shakily.  
  
"I said you're not my boss, bitch!" X-ray said, advancing towards her. Kari whimpered in fear and backed away further, all the while trying to get back on her feet. She stopped when she felt a hole behind her, afraid to turn her back to X-ray. He stood over her. Kari looked at the ground, scared. Just then a figure stepped in front of Kari, shielding her from X-ray. Kari looked up to see Zero standing boldly in front of X-ray, matching him stare for stare.  
  
"Leave her alone." Zero said. X-ray looked somewhat taken aback. Everyone fell silent. Kari looked up at the back of Zero's head, amazed that he was protecting her like this. X-ray looked at Zero for a moment, and then started to walk away.  
  
"Teach your little girlfriend to keep her mouth shut." He muttered. Zero watched him walk away before slowly turning and looking down at Kari, who was still on the ground.  
  
"You alright?" He asked, holding out a hand to help her up. She took it and got up shakily. She was almost his height, only a centimeter or so shorter. She stepped back several times, blinking all the while to keep the tears from falling. Zero fixed her with a concerned look, and Caveman watched from his hole. Kari couldn't stand it any longer and ran in the opposite direction. She didn't stop until she reached the shade of the oak trees. There she collapsed into the hammock in tears.  
  
~*~  
  
August 11, 2003.  
  
I now officially HATE MY LIFE! Why did I hate to be sent here? Why did my parents have to die? Why did grandma have to die? Why do I have to live with an aunt who probably doesn't even like me, and she's just putting on an act? She never hugged me or showed any sign of affection. She probably hates my guts. I guess that's what I'll be for all eternity. A girl who isn't loved. I feel dead right now. And everything just seems so gray. And what shames me is . . . I've always had that feeling deep inside. Even when the rest of my family was still alive. Like I said before . . . Something's missing.  
  
~*~  
  
Zero looked towards the two oak trees and saw that a small figure was sitting in the hammock, writing in a notebook. Curious, he trudged silently over to see what she was doing. She hadn't noticed him walk up because her back was to him and she was absorbedly writing something. He looked over her shoulder and saw what was nothing but marks to him. He exhaled through his nose in frustration, wishing that he could read. Kari had heard this and she spun around. This caused her to lose her balance on the hammock and she fell, landing on the ground in front of Zero. Her journal lay open on the ground, and Zero looked again to the strange marks on the paper. Kari saw this and quickly snapped the book shut.  
  
"What the fuck are you doing reading my journal over my shoulder?" She hissed. Zero's eyes widened a bit. He was used to hearing the other boys cuss, but he hadn't expected a sweet girl like Kari to say such things. He held eye contact with her as he spoke.  
  
"I can't read." He said.  
  
"What?"  
  
He said nothing.  
  
"You can't read? Didn't you go to school?" She asked. He didn't answer. "Why didn't you go to school?"  
  
"I didn't even know where the school was." He answered. Kari gave him a sad look.  
  
"I'm sorry, Zero." She said. He said nothing, and only gave her a small smile. She blushed deeply. Zero then noticed that her face was tear stained.  
  
"Are you okay . . . from last time?" He said. She nodded.  
  
"I'm fine." She said, glad that he couldn't what he had seen in her journal. She sighed and looked down at what she had added to her journal.  
  
~*~  
  
Zero's really nice. He saved me twice today . . . God, I know I'm gonna hate myself tomorrow for writing this, but . . . I kind of like Zero.  
  
~*~  
  
*Does the "This is the end of the chapter" dance on the table* AWE! I know, short! BOOHOO! *Trips over the edge of the table and falls* Ouch. I've fallen and I can't get up! REVIEWS! I WANT MY INBOX FULL TO BURSTING WITH REVIEWS! If not . . . I'll continue writing when I gain feeling in my right leg again . . .  
  
~Shae~ 


	7. Letters

WOO! It's back! WOOHOO! TRY DIGGIN ONE HOLE THEN SEE ME, BOY!!!!! *Laughs insanely* Um . . . Yes, I will let you read the story now!  
  
~*~  
  
Kari Walker August 12, 2003.  
  
As I sit here on this spot supervising D-tent, I can't help but look at the short fluffy-haired boy who is almost finished with his hole. It's amazing how someone so small can be so strong. That's something to say . . . He must be at least four centimeters taller than me!  
  
~*~  
  
Kari stopped writing as she felt a presence behind her. She turned around to see Zero standing there.  
  
"Hey." She said, smiling a little. It was silent for a moment, and then Zero spoke.  
  
"Can you teach me how to read?" He asked quietly. Kari looked to her journal, then back at Zero.  
  
"I don't have anything for you to write with." Kari said. Zero looked at the journal in Kari's hands, then back to her face.  
  
"Okay." He said quietly before slowly walking away. Kari looked after him, wishing that she had brought an extra notebook. Kari looked down at her notebook and flipped through it until she found an empty page. She thought about it for a moment, and then stood up and started to run to catch up with Zero, who was walking towards the camp.  
  
"Wait!" She yelled. Zero stopped suddenly and Kari practically ran into him. He turned around and looked at her. Kari held up her journal. "I can teach you letters on a page in my journal." Kari said. Zero looked at her for a moment and then broke into a wide smile. Kari blushed, and to her horror, it seemed that Zero had noticed. He was now fixing her with a curious look. Kari cleared her throat a bit.  
  
"Where will we practice at?" She asked.  
  
"We could practice at D-tent," Zero said. "The others are going to be in the Wreck Room." He added when he saw the look of fear on her face when he mentioned D-tent. Kari thought for a moment and then smiled.  
  
"Alright. Each day after digging, I teach you the alphabet starting tomorrow. Sound good?" Kari said. Zero just smiled.  
  
~*~  
  
" . . . Q . . . R, S, T, U . . . V, W, X, Y . . . Z." Zero slowly recited. Kari smiled.  
  
"Wonderful! You really learned a lot today. Maybe tomorrow we can move up to writing!" Kari said. Zero grinned. Kari blushed and then tried to hide it by tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "So . . . I'll see you tomorrow." Zero nodded. Kari smiled and left the tent. After Zero was sure she had gone, he lay down on his cot and looked up at the canvas ceiling. There was something about Kari, something different that made him feel . . . beyond words. He had never felt that way before. He sighed, smiling, and continued to stare at the canvas ceiling until his thoughts lulled him into a peaceful sleep.  
  
~*~  
  
AWWW-  
  
Zero: *Opens one eye* SHUT UP, I'M SLEEPIN' HERE!!  
  
O_o; *whispers* Aww! So cute!  
  
Hehehe! Hope you like the chappie!  
  
~Shae~ 


	8. Apparitions

Zero turned over in his sleep, but then opened his eyes to the light. Light? Zero blinked and looked up. His eyes widened a great deal. A hovering shimmer of light was being cast right against the wall of the tent, as if someone was shining some sort of eerie light from outside.  
  
Zero carefully got up and crept over to the tent flap, easing it open and slipping outside. The light that had been on his side of the tent was moving ever so slowly, it edges peeking around the corner of the tent, and as it did, it softened ever so slightly, until the image of a man was seen walking from behind the corner.  
  
Zero froze with his mouth slightly agape, and watched as the man stepped slowly towards him. He was wearing a hat that looked similar to Mr. Sir's, except it had whole daisies decorating the brim. The man stopped within a few feet of Zero, a kind smile upon his face. Zero stood staring, wondering . . .  
  
The man took a daisy from the brim of his hat and extended the hand holding the daisy towards Zero, who slowly reached out to take it. As his fingers touched the flower, the light slowly dimmed and the man was gone. Zero stood there for a moment, and then slowly trudged back to the tent.  
  
He put the daisy in his crate for safekeeping and then stood back to look at it.  
  
If it was still there when he woke up, all this will certainly not be a dream.  
  
~*~  
  
Zero was the first to wake up the next morning. As the others trudged around getting dressed, he walked over to his crate. The daisy was still there. He took it, placed it carefully in his pocket for safekeeping, and then went outside. Another day of digging, though he had many things to marvel upon.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hello, Zero." Kari said, walking into D-tent. He smiled at her. He had an idea. Maybe he could surprise her with the daisy.  
  
"Okay, Zero, now today we're going to practice reading sentences and writing them." Kari said, ripping out a page in her notebook. She wrote down a few simple sentences and showed them to Zero. He looked down at the words "The hat is blue."  
  
"Tuh...chat." He stuttered. Kari cringed.  
  
"Okay, now when 't' and 'h' are together, it makes a 'th' sound. Try again." Kari said.  
  
"The." Zero said. Kari smiled and gave a thumbs-up. Just then, Caveman walked in carrying a letter. He briefly smiled at them and then sat down to read. He started laughing to himself until out of curiousity, Zero walked up behind him.  
  
"What're you laughing at?" He asked.  
  
"Oh, it's something my mom wrote. See: 'I feel really bad for the old lady that lived in the shoe, because it must have smelled real bad.' You know, like the old nursery rhyme." Caveman said, smiling.  
  
"I can't read." Zero said. Caveman's smile dropped.  
  
"He can't right now, but I'm teaching him to." Kari said timidly. "Even though I'm not really all that good in spelling, I'm helping."  
  
"Oh, that's nice." Caveman said, smiling. He eventually left after that, leaving them alone again.  
  
"Right...dinner is in two minutes, but I won't be free after that. We'll have to continue tomorrow. Is that okay with you?" Kari said. Zero nodded. "Alright, then! Seeya, Zero!"  
  
"Wait." Zero said. She stopped at the tent flap and turned around, curious. He took the daisy out from his pocket and held it out to her. She looked at it, and then touched it.  
  
"Where'd you get this?" Kari asked, in awe. "It's beautiful." Zero shrugged, for even he couldn't ponder the answer. Had the man been real, or just an imagination? His thoughts were soon forgotten as Kari pulled him into a hug and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you so, so much!" She said. Zero blushed and smiled. Real or imaginary, that man deserved credit. 


End file.
